章：1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
24:1 扫罗追赶非利士人回来，有人告诉他说，大卫在隐基底的旷野。
And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.
24:2 扫罗就从以色列人中挑选三千精兵，率领他们往野羊的磐石去，寻索大卫和跟随他的人。
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
24:3 到了路旁的羊圈，在那里有洞，扫罗进去大解。大卫和跟随他的人正藏在洞里的深处。
And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
24:4 跟随的人对大卫说，耶和华曾应许你说，我要将你的仇敌交在你手里，你可以任意待他。如今时候到了。大卫就起来，悄悄地割下扫罗外袍的衣襟。
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
24:5 随后大卫心中自责，因为割下扫罗的衣襟。
And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
24:6 对跟随他的人说，我的主乃是耶和华的受膏者，我在耶和华面前万不敢伸手害他，因他是耶和华的受膏者。
And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
24:7 大卫用这话拦住跟随他的人，不容他们起来害扫罗。扫罗起来，从洞里出去行路。
So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
24:8 随后大卫也起来，从洞里出去，呼叫扫罗说，我主，我王。扫罗回头观看，大卫就屈身，脸伏于地下拜。
David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
24:9 大卫对扫罗说，你为何听信人的谗言，说大卫想要害你呢。
And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
24:10 今日你亲眼看见在洞中，耶和华将你交在我手里。有人叫我杀你，我却爱惜你，说，我不敢伸手害我的主，因为他是耶和华的受膏者。
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.
24:11 我父阿，看看你外袍的衣襟在我手中。我割下你的衣襟，没有杀你。你由此可以知道我没有恶意叛逆你。你虽然猎取我的命，我却没有得罪你。
Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
24:12 愿耶和华在你我中间判断是非，在你身上为我伸冤，我却不亲手加害于你。
The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
24:13 古人有句俗语说，恶事出于恶人。我却不亲手加害于你。
As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
24:14 以色列王出来要寻梢谁呢。追赶谁呢。不过追赶一条死狗，一个虼蚤就是了。
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
24:15 愿耶和华在你我中间施行审判，断定是非，并且鉴察，为我伸冤，救我脱离你的手。
The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
24:16 大卫向扫罗说完这话，扫罗说，我儿大卫，这是你的声音吗。就放声大哭，
And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
24:17 对大卫说，你比我公义。因为你以善待我，我却以恶待你。
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
24:18 你今日显明是以善待我。因为耶和华将我交在你手里，你却没有杀我。
And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
24:19 人若遇见仇敌，岂肯放他平安无事地去呢。愿耶和华因你今日向我所行的，以善报你。
For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
24:20 我也知道你必要作王，以色列的国必坚立在你手里。
And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
24:21 现在你要指着耶和华向我起誓，不剪除我的后裔，在我父家不灭没我的名。
Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.
24:22 于是大卫向扫罗起誓，扫罗就回家去。大卫和跟随他的人上山寨去了。
And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
撒母耳记上24参考
大卫所藏的山洞原来是那么样的大──
24:3 大卫和跟随他的六百人发现隐基底是藏匿的好地方，因为在那里有许多山洞。当地人使用这些山洞作为住宅，也作坟地，对跟随大卫之人来说，这是避难佳所。今日仍可以见到这些山洞，其中有些大到可容数千人。
神在何时何地说过这话？
24:4 圣经并没有记载神对大卫，或是对跟随他的人说过这样的话。跟随大卫之人可能对过去的一些事件，例如大卫受膏（16:13）、约拿单预言大卫必要作王（23:17）等，提出自己的看法。他们看见扫罗进入山洞里，就误以为这是神的指示，叫他们采取行动。
大卫的做法是怯懦吗？对待当权者的态度──
24:5-6 尽管扫罗想杀害大卫，大卫却极其尊重他。虽然扫罗犯罪、悖逆神，大卫仍尊重他是神所膏立的君王。大卫知道自己将来必要作王，更知道不应当杀害神所立在宝座上作王的这一位。如果他杀害扫罗的话，就会给反对他之人立下先例，将来也可以除灭他。
罗马书13章1至7节告诉我们，神设立执政掌权的人。我们可能不领会他们当权的原因，但是要像大卫一样，服从神所赐给他们的权威。不过，也要记得：神才是最高的权威，我们不应当违背神的律法，以致得罪神。
大卫再次善待扫罗表现出他高尚的品德，我会为达目的而不择手段吗？
24:16-19 我们知道达到目的之手段和目的本身一样重要。大卫的目标既然是作王，所以跟随他的人劝他有机会时杀死扫罗，以达成目的。但他不肯依从，非因胆怯，乃是英勇的表现──他有勇气力排众议，坚持原则，去做他所当做的事。不要因为顺服群众的压力，就放松自己的道德标准。
大卫以信守诺言著称；当守诺言若与我的利益冲突时，我会……
24:21-22 大卫信守诺言，从来没有对扫罗家族或他的后裔施行报复。扫罗大多数的儿子是与非利士人作战时阵亡的（31:2），有些是因基遍人报仇而杀死的（参撒下21:1-14）。他应许要恩待扫罗之子约拿单的后裔（20:14-15），他把约拿单的儿子米非波设接到王宫里，就是照著承诺去行（参撒下9）。